


MV 16 Love's Progress

by katbear



Series: Master's Voice [16]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 04:23:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5077663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katbear/pseuds/katbear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valentine's Day is approaching</p>
            </blockquote>





	MV 16 Love's Progress

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks: To the beta readers who made this a better story (Merry Amelie, starhunter79, Lady Saddlebred). All mistakes are my own.  
> 

**_Monday, 9 February_ **

Ben’s body ached as he trudged up the long drive, his breath steaming in the cold, clear air. It had been a long day since Rafa had dropped him off just before six-thirty at Western Metal Arts on her way to an early class at the university and he had barely caught the last bus home. Robin Ketali, proprietor of what had turned out to be an operation that took very seriously its motto of “Big or Small, We Do It All”, had run him ragged most of the day hauling, sorting and cleaning work bays for the commercial side of her business. In exchange, she had given him four hours of individual advanced tutoring in welding and a chance to see some incredibly spectacular metal art and sculptures that she and her daughter did on the side. His mind was still digesting all the marvelous new information as the rest of him screamed for dinner and a long, hot bath.

 

His usual automatic glance told Ben that both Qui and Rafa’s vehicles were in the carport. A small Ford SUV parked near the front door piqued his interest – it was a car he had never seen before and he wondered whose it was. The question was soon answered as he headed toward the delightful odors of the warm kitchen after shedding his cold-weather gear.

 

“You almost have it, Nils, except for not rolling your Rs. Listen to how I do it.” Rafa’s pleasant voice went into a series of words with long, trilling syllables.

 

Ben stuck his head into the dining room in time to hear a young blond man complain, “That sounds so easy when you do it. My tongue just can’t seem to get the hang of it.”

 

Rafa looked up. “Hello, Ben. Were you in time for work today?”

 

“Yeah, and thanks for taking me in so early.” Ben glanced at the piles of books and papers spread across the large table. “Looks like you’re busy, so I won’t bother you.”

 

“Study group for tests tomorrow in Spanish and math.” Rafa made a face when she said ‘math’. “You remember Misha?”

 

“Sure.” Ben nodded toward the quiet youth, who nodded back with a small smile.

 

“This is Nils,” the blond youth raised a hand with a grin, "and that is Vandy.” A petite young lady with vaguely oriental features smiled. “They’re freshmen also.”

 

Ben advanced into the room to shake hands with the newcomers. “Pleased to meet you both.” He was happy that Rafa was finding new friends after a lonely start to her college career.

 

Jane came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Dinner will be ready in a half hour. We’ll be eating in the kitchen if you folks want to leave your stuff in here.”

 

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” asked Rafa. “I’m sorry I didn’t check with you earlier, but we didn’t decide on getting together until this morning.”

 

“It’s fine. I like having young folks around and doing for people.” Jane smiled. “You can clean up after if you want.”

 

“Of course, Mrs. Brandon,” said Vandy. “We’d be happy to help. It’s not often we get a chance for a home-cooked meal, and it already smells delicious.”

 

“Jane is fine and that would be right nice. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

 

Ben glanced down at his very dirty clothes as he and Jane went back to the kitchen. “I need to shower and change first, but I’ll be back up to help get things ready.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, Ben. Qui’ll be in from the barn any time now to set the table and such.”

 

“Thanks.” Ben grinned as he dropped off his lunchbox on a counter before heading downstairs, willing to exchange the long bath for a short shower if it meant more time that evening with his mate.

 

*** *** ***

 

The crisp salad, meaty stew and hot rolls were a big hit with all. Jane surreptitiously kept filling Misha’s plate until even he was clearly relaxed enough to start contributing more than an occasional polite word to the conversation. The lemon cake with strawberry filling drew another round of compliments from the enthusiastic guests and sighs of satisfaction as they relaxed with tea or coffee.

 

“Hey, Rafa, you going to those Spanish films that Dr. Garcia posted about?” asked Nils. At her raised eyebrow, he added, “You know, the ones that are part of the foreign film class showings on Wednesday nights? I’ll be glad to take you since it’s free to other students.” He smiled innocently.

 

“I had forgotten about those.” Rafa took a sip of tea. “That’s not until next month, right?”

 

“Yes, they are.” Misha had sat up straighter in his chair, his tea mug tight in one hand. “But tomorrow night there are two Russian films from the 1920s. They will no doubt have subtitles, but I would be very happy to accompany you and tell you what they are really saying.” His furtive sideways glance at Nils was only a few shades short of ticked off.

 

“Wait a minute.” Vandy put down her cup. “Are you saying you speak Russian?”

 

Misha shrugged. “Yes. I do.”

 

“Then why in the world are you slaving away on beginning Spanish when you could ace the Russian class as your foreign language?”

 

Being the sudden focus of attention evidently made Misha uncomfortable and he cleared his throat as he stared down at the table.

 

“Didn’t you once tell me your family was from Russia?” Rafa gently cut in with her question.

 

“Yes, they are.” Misha looked up gratefully. “I took the advanced credit testing in high school for basic and advanced Russian, but my counselor said Spanish could be useful in many places. It is harder than I thought, though, to start a new language now rather than learning it growing up.”

 

“Okay, yeah, any credits you could get then means less you’ve got to take now, so I suppose that makes sense,” said Vandy with a nod.

 

“So you speak Russian pretty well?” Nils asked.

 

“That is correct.” Misha looked at Rafa, who gave him a smile of encouragement. He licked his lips before continuing in a very formal tone, “My parents insisted that all of the children must be fluent in three things: Russian, English and mathematics. Every day we practiced.” He hesitated, giving a little shrug. “I do not get to practice the Russian so much now.”

 

“Then I think it would be a great opportunity to see the films and I’d be happy to go with you tomorrow night.” Rafa lightly touched Misha’s hand.

 

Misha mumbled an answer as a blush rose to his cheeks. Jane loudly announced, “Who wants more cake?” and deftly steered the conversation to other topics.

 

The students were trying to chat in Spanish as they tackled the cleanup, much to the quiet amusement of Rafa, who had started the school year in advanced Spanish. Ben had just finished his coffee and handed off his cup when both Qui and Jane leaned toward him and spoke at the same time:

 

“We need to talk –”

 

They broke off and sat back.

 

“How about we go to the other room and leave these young folks to it?” suggested Jane.

 

Qui nodded, then gestured to Ben. They all rose and moved to the family room, Jane sitting on her rocker and the men side by side on the sofa.

 

“Really, I was just going to be discussing a little something with Ben…” Qui pulled two slips of paper from his pocket. “You?”

 

Ben frowned a little, wondering what the problem was. The papers were crumpled as if they had been jammed in Qui’s pocket.

 

“I need to have a little chat with both of you boys, so why don’t you get your say in first if it’s not too personal.” Jane leaned back in her chair.

 

“I can do that.”

 

“Is there a problem?” Ben worried at a back tooth as Qui smoothed out the papers.

 

“Just a little bit of fuss, nothing big. Ben, you know I love you, and I do like it when you do something nice like those chocolate kisses in my jacket.” Qui paused.

 

“And I love you. And I really like to be able to surprise you occasionally since I can’t afford fancy presents. Soooo?” Ben raised an eyebrow.

 

“I’m not needing you to spend money on me to show your feelings. It’s just that I do need to ask you to not be putting the wrong kind of little notes with my lunch. We were out on a group patrol in the truck today and stopped at a service cabin to eat. And, well, everyone’s lunch pails were in the back and Ricky Teluski got mine by mistake since they look alike.”

 

“He opened it?” Ben had a sick little feeling in the pit of his stomach as he remembered what was on one of the slips.

 

“Aye. The one piece of paper was on top and maybe he was thinking it was from his wife, but he read it before he figured out ‘twas not for him. I hadn’t opened mine yet, but I saw him blink a couple of times. He stuck the paper back inside and shut the pail; he had a kind of shit-eating grin when he handed it over.”

 

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Qui.” Ben swallowed hard and felt he had shrunk to about three feet tall. “I never thought about anything like that, honest. It’s not going to cause a problem, is it?”

 

“’Twas lucky it was Ricky that saw it. I’ve known him going on for ten years and he’s never been one for wagging his tongue. He did ask, real quiet like, to meet whoever sent the note when I was ready, but didn’t push anything and I don’t think anybody else even noticed.” Qui paused and pointed a finger. “But Jaysus, boyo, that second note inside the sandwich wrapper – I had to step outside with my jacket off to cool down.”

 

Ben shriveled to feeling about six inches tall and hung his head. “I’m really, really sorry, Qui. I was just thinking about Valentine’s Day coming up and… that was so freaking stupid. I don’t ever want to do anything that might get you in trouble.”

 

“Ben, don’t be after blaming yourself so much.” Qui reached out with one long arm to pull Ben into his side. “I DO like it when you try to be romantic. Most of the time I’m out by myself or maybe one other person, so it was just sheer chance it got cocked up today.” He kissed Ben’s forehead. “Maybe just hide it better in the future, boyo.”

 

“Right.” Ben leaned into the comforting warmth. “And romantic, not explicit. Got it.”

 

The sound of a throat clearing made both men look up.

 

“Well, that’s kind of a right good segue into what I need to say.” Jane had a twinkle in her eye. “I like both of you, and I appreciate that Valentine’s Day is coming up and folks want to do something special for each other. And I don’t mind being a ‘Cupid’s helper’, so to speak. But we need to do a little sorting out of what you want me to do.”

 

Ben looked up at Qui, feeling that his expression must be as blank as the one looking back down at him.

 

Suddenly Qui smacked his forehead. “Jaysus and all the saints!” He had a sheepish grin. “Are you meaning to tell us we BOTH asked you to do up a special dinner for the night?”

 

“Got it in one.” Jane smiled, her hands folded in her lap.

 

“Oh, no,” groaned Ben. “That was supposed to be a pisser surprise. Candles and all that sort of thing.” He grimaced as he sat forward on the edge of the cushions. “I guess this just isn’t my night.”

 

“I’ll fix you a very nice meal but I need the two of you to decide what you want.”

 

“Well, ‘tis this Saturday so we need to be making up our minds pretty quickly.” Qui sighed. “Ben, I’ve already paid for wine and the store is holding it for me. We could start from that, or I could see if I could get an exchange if you don’t want what I picked out.”

 

Ben slid back and chewed on his lower lip a moment before answering. “No, I always like your choices,” he said slowly. “I was looking forward to surprising you…” He took a deep breath and blew it out through his lips. “I guess…” Ben had a sudden thought and raised both eyebrows. He turned his head toward Qui. “What about if I let you set up dinner for us in the dining room and then I do something for us afterward downstairs?”

 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be ruining our first Valentine’s Day together.” Qui took Ben’s hand.

 

“Absolutely.”   Ben squeezed Qui’s hand and grinned. “I’ve got something wicked romantic in mind.”

 

“That’s a deal, then. And for being such a good sport about it, I’ll take you to Tommy Connall’s pub tomorrow. It’s a trading and band night, so it’ll be a lively do. Just the thing to brighten your spirits, boyo.”

 

“Just two friends out for a good time, right?” At Qui’s understanding nod, Ben’s grin got even wider. “I’d love it.”

 

_*** *** *** *** ***_

**_Tuesday, 10 February_ **

Ben pulled his jacket tighter against the cold that always lingered in the cab until the old heater finally got going. He was wearing his second-best jeans and one of his Midway Motorcycles polo shirts.

 

“So you’ve been going to this place a long time?” asked Ben.

 

“Pretty much since I moved here.” Qui kept his eyes on the road. “It was Tommy’s da owned it back then… going on for eleven years now since Tommy and his wife Shanara took over.”

 

“Oh.” Ben hunkered into his coat and the conversation was desultory, mostly about what snack food was decent and the variety of beers. It was a little after seven when they pulled into a parking lot across the street from several bars, restaurants and a movie theater. Ben perked up, anticipation building for their rare night out.

 

One of the largest bars was mid-block, two stories of dark brick, large front windows and a modest circular wooden sign in italic script proclaiming “Connall’s Pub” with a Gaelic harp in the center.

 

Once inside the two sets of double doors, Ben looked around as he unzipped his jacket. The general feel was solid but comfortable: wooden tables and booths, long polished bar, not too dark, a stage at the far end and one corner near the stairs had shelves instead of the booth it probably once held. The place was already filling up, conversation flowing as freely as the beer from the multiple taps.

 

“Quilan Finn! About time you showed your ugly face around here!”

 

Before Ben could catch his breath, Qui had been swept up in a hug by a short redhead with laugh lines engraved on her face, and he was enthusiastically hugging her back. A taller young woman with the same flaming hair was looking on with a smile.

 

Qui put the woman down and beamed. “Shanara, I swear ‘tis more beautiful you and Michelle are every time I see the both of you.”

 

“Go on with ya, silly man.   Pffft, ya probably say that to all the ladies.” She waved a hand dismissively, but her face was an open smile.

 

“And if I did, that doesn’t make it any less true.” Qui kissed Shanara on the forehead. “And saints be blessed, if the tomboy hasn’t become quite the lady.” He held out his arms for a hug from Michelle, which she willingly gave with just a tiny blush on her cheeks.

 

Ben was looking on bemused. He reminded himself that Qui was just being Qui, and he would be taking Ben home at the end of the night, no matter how many people he hugged or kissed during their visit.

 

“Oho! And who is this fine specimen of young manhood you’re hiding from us, Mr. Finn?”

 

It was Ben’s turn for a small blush as Shanara stepped around Qui to look him up and down with a twinkle in her eye.  


“Ben Kennan, ma’am.” Ben reached out a hand. “Qui and I have rooms at Mrs. Jane Brandon’s place, and he offered to bring me along tonight.” Which was technically a true statement if nobody asked about separate rooms.

 

“Ah, a friend of Quilan Finn is a friend of the Connalls.” Shanara bypassed the hand for a hug, which Ben shyly returned. “Welcome to our little place. First time, right?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

“’Tis Shanara to all our friends.” She pulled a coaster with a big T and S in bold initials from a pocket and handed it to Ben. “First beer is on the house, just give this to any of the servers.”

 

“Thank you very much, m- " Ben caught himself with a sheepish grin, “Shanara.”

 

“Are you interested in music also, Ben?” asked Michelle.

 

“I’m looking forward to hearing live players, but I don’t collect much recorded stuff.” Ben shrugged.

 

“Either way, you’re both in for a treat tonight.”   Shanara beamed. “We’ve got Bergan’s Boys at eight-thirty. They’re stopping here on their way to Oregon, and a lively bunch they are." She turned her attention to Qui. “And Shaughnessy’s latest batch of CDs from Ireland just showed up in last night, so we’ve got new pieces that haven’t been put on the list yet, plus what's come in as trades. The ones you already requested are set aside and Garrett has them on your tab, so if you want any more just tell Michelle, and she’ll take care of it for you.”

 

Qui’s eyes lit up. “Thanks. Sounds like I’d best be heading over to look at those now.”

 

“Why don’t you do that and I’ll get us someplace to sit?” suggested Ben.

 

“Thanks. I’ll find you in a bit.” Qui and Michelle headed to the back corner.

 

Before Ben could turn around, a familiar voice hailed him.

 

“Ben? Hey, is that you?”

 

Ben recognized the wayward cowlick before he remembered the name. “Hey, Gavin!” He smiled at the Forest Service maintenance tech and fellow Bostonian he had met at the Velt’s New Year’s/anniversary party. “What’s doing?”

 

Gavin Maloney rushed up and pounded Ben’s back. “Great to see you. Some of the guys and I are here for the music and wicked beer. Got some folks from the east coast – it ain’t Boston, but it’s better than all this cowboy twanging around here. Why don’t you join us?”

 

“Love to if you have room for two. Quilan Finn boards the same place I do and gave me a ride so I could check the place out.”

 

“Ranger Finn?” Gavin rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, the dude doesn’t know one end of an engine from the other.”

 

“At least he admits it and asks for help.” Ben felt a defensive tug inside.

 

“Yeah, he’s good people as long it doesn’t involve one of my trucks.” Gavin grinned. “Just funnin’, but he does have a reputation for being one you don’t let near anything under the hood.”

 

“I know what you mean. Had to help him with that old junk heap of a truck he drives a couple of times.”

 

“Come on, there’s plenty of room for both of you, so let's see if we can't get you fixed up.” Gavin waggled an eyebrow. “Finn also has a reputation for keeping the ladies charmed, which is always good when you make the waitresses happy.”

 

“I’ve seen him in action, so yeah, I hear ya.” Ben was slowly learning to ignore the twinges of jealousy. “I think that’s what got me a free beer from Shanara.” He showed Gavin the coaster. “Any recommendations?”

 

Gavin was suitably impressed, and they chatted about the beers on tap as he dragged Ben over to meet his friends. Two tables near the stage had been pulled together, with benches along the wall and chairs around the other edges. The ‘guys’ turned out to be a mix of men and women in their twenties and thirties. Ben snagged two empty chairs next to each other as Gavin introduced him around to the mix of Forest Service and town people.

 

Ben was well into his first beer, enjoying the welcoming atmosphere, when Qui showed up with a happy grin and a tall dark ale in hand. They went through introductions again and Qui held his own against Gavin's chaffing about engines with a tale of the time a bear chased everyone out of the motor pool, with Gavin ending up on the roof yelling for help. It also didn't hurt that Qui was clearly well liked by the wait staff, and the appetizers he ordered for the table showed up in noticeably larger-than-usual portions.

 

Connall's was obviously a place where Qui was very comfortable. As the pub filled up, people stopped by to greet him, and at eight a quick trip to the restroom turned into a journey as he was waylaid along his path to hug and chat. Ben had a good view from his chair near the wall, and his attention kept drifting to wherever Qui was, despite his best effort to stay focused on the group he was with. As his third large beer kicked in, he made his own trip to drain his bladder before the music started. After he washed his hands, he took a moment to press two fingers against the silver Claddagh pendant hidden beneath his shirt. Reassured, he snorted at his own insecurities and headed back to their table with a smile. They were here for a night out, with Qui having offered to drive him to work the next morning so they could stay later, so dammit, he was going to enjoy himself.

 

As eight-thirty approached, the buzz of conversation throughout the full room intensified, and there was much scurrying by the waitstaff to deliver pitchers, mugs and bottles to the booths and tables. Ben could feel the eagerness building as the clock ticked away, and there were various activities with instruments and speakers on the stage. Qui nudged him in the side and they smiled at each other as rhythmic clapping started. "That's Tommy coming now," Qui told him as he nodded toward a large man in jeans and a bright green shirt who was making his way among the tables.

 

Tommy stepped up on the stage and held up both arms. "WELCOME!" he boomed out on the mike. Cheers and whistles answered him. "We have a very special offering for you tonight.   All the way from New York, for one night only as they make their way across this great country, give a grand welcome to Mava Bergan and Bergan's Boys!"

 

A big cheer went up as a brown-haired woman in her fifties led four other players onto the stage. That was Mava, and she did a quick intro of her two sons, younger brother and uncle before launching into the first tune.

 

As Shanara had said earlier, they were indeed a lively bunch. Little time was wasted in idle chitchat and they kept the music coming with a good mix of fast, slow and in between. Ben quickly found himself grinning and tapping time as Mava's fiddle and her uncle's bodhran drove the pace, with others chipping in on various instruments: banjo, tin whistle, accordion, flute, a second fiddle and uilleann pipes.

 

Before they knew it, the first hour was over. Mava stepped up to the mike.

 

"Thanks for the fine Conall's Pub reception. We really appreciate it." A cheer went up as she saluted the crowd with her bow. "We'll be taking a break for a few minutes, but if you've got any requests for the second half pass them on to Tommy and we'll see what we can do for you."

 

Before they could even get off the stage, a voice from the bar called out, "Ceile! Ceile!" Several other voices took up the chant until Tommy held up his hands.

 

"Hang on a minute!" Tommy had a quick conference with Mava, then turned back. "Alright, but you can see we weren't planning on this, so there's not much room right now. The band's willing to play, but I need help to clear out tables at this end of the floor. Who's for it?"

 

Ben leaned close to Qui and quietly asked "What's a kaylee?", pronouncing it as he thought he had heard it.

 

"Dancing, boyo. Irish informal social dancing and 'tis great fun."

 

Qui stood up before Ben could say anything further and joined the crew enthusiastically pushing chairs and benches along the walls and moving tables to a back room. Ben finished the remainder of his beer, as several other people were also doing, then handed his glass to one of the waitresses bustling about.

 

"Great job, everybody!" Tommy was at the mike again. "Let's take ten minutes to finish clearing up and sorting out partners or whatever else you need to do. For our newcomers who want to join in, we'll start with something simple and show you a few basic steps, so don't worry about getting left out." Another cheer went up as people began milling about.

 

Ben made sure his and Qui's coats were on the chairs that had gone by the wall. Qui came back his way but a tall blonde woman had already firmly attached herself to his arm, so Ben swallowed the pang of sharp pain, waved weakly and pushed his feelings back into a box as he realized there was nothing he could do without opening the closet he had firmly locked himself into.

 

"Hey, you got a partner yet?" A hand tapped Ben's shoulder.

 

Ben turned and saw it was one of the women from Gavin's group.   Megan was five-foot-four with brown hair, freckles and a ready smile; she was a dispatcher for the Forest Service motor pool where Gavin worked.

 

"No, I don't," answered Ben. "But I have no frickin' idea how to do any of these dances."

 

"Not to worry, I do and it's really easy. This is just dancing for fun, not like the step dancing they do in Riverdance. I need to hit the lady's room, so don't run out on me." She grinned and briefly squeezed his arm before disappearing into the crowd.

 

Ben gave a look around, but Qui and his partner were talking to several others, so he simply sighed and went to join the scrum at the men's room. Upon returning, he found Megan waiting for him. By now he had reminded himself again that they were both here just to have fun, so he smiled and joined her.

 

"My apologies in advance if I step on your feet," said Ben with a small bow.

 

Megan laughed. "Don't worry about it." She wagged an eyebrow. "You look like you move just fine, so stay close and I'll take care of you."

 

Ben grinned back at the mild flirtation as she took his hand and led him out where other couples were starting to line up.

 

Tommy stepped up to the mike and tapped on it as the musicians took up their instruments. "Welcome back, everyone. For the next hour we'll do some dancing. We're going to start out simple with Walls of Limerick, but first let's show our new folks some basic steps. Let's pair off in groups of four around the floor in a circle." Tommy waited until the sets of pairs facing each other were back to back in a big circle. One set of four lined up in the middle. "Starting steps will be your threes and sevens. Threes for forward and back, sevens for moving sideways. Mack, Lada, James and Molly will demonstrate in the middle."

 

Ben watched and listened, then joined in as everyone practiced a few times. They moved on to walk through a set.

 

"Okay, looking good." Tommy pointed to Mava Bergan. "We'll do it slow with a hornpipe first, then step it up a bit with a reel. Walls of Limerick, let's go."

 

Ben bounced lightly on his feet as he and Megan held hands and glanced at each other.

 

"You've got it, Ben," said Megan. "Just move with the music and nobody cares if the steps are perfect."

 

As the fiddle sang out the first notes of the Derry Hornpipe, Ben let himself go. After the first few minutes, he began gaining confidence in the repeated movements. When the uilleann pipes and the fiddles moved into the Merry Blacksmith reel, Ben picked up the faster pace as they advanced, retired, crossed and swung their partners, moving onto new partners as they went around the room. When the music stopped after three reels, everyone clapped and cheered.

 

"Let's mix it up!" called Tommy. "Everyone find a new partner, and anyone who wants to sit out or come in do it now. We'll do a few more steps, then we'll have callers to help out on which way to go."

 

Ben hung in as they switched partners and forms, callers helping everyone work through the Siege of Ennis, Fairy Reel and Haymaker's Jig. He felt only a little jealous as pairs of men or women danced together when numbers of each were unbalanced, but somebody always claimed Qui well before he had a chance to even think about it, so he just kept dancing with the many willing partners who clearly wanted him. At the end of the hour, everybody cheered and applauded the band. There were smiles all around and plenty of laughing chatter as people pitched in to move tables back out in rows so everyone had a place to sit, and cold beer was already coming out in pitchers and mugs to soothe thirsty throats.

 

Qui came up and dropped into the chair next to Ben with a whoosh of breath. He punched Ben lightly on one arm with a big smile. "Wasn't expecting the dancing, but didn't I tell you it's always a good time at Connall's, boyo?" He took a long swig of beer.

 

"Yeah, it's a wicked pisser hoobanger," Ben replied with a big grin.

 

The band played another half hour of slower music as people relaxed and talked, but finished with a couple of lively reels as eleven-thirty approached. The crowd grew smaller but still happy as the midnight bell grew nearer. Tabs were settled as the weary wait-staff roamed the floor. Tommy and Shanara made their way around to every table and booth to thank people for coming.

 

"Not to be a party pooper, but got to work in the morning." Gavin raised his mug and drained the last of his ale. "Killer of a night." He waved his mug around to the rest of the group. "Glad everyone could make it."

 

"That was the balls," agreed Ben. He and Qui stood up and pulled their coats from the back of their chairs and headed out after a final chorus of farewells.

 

On the way home, Qui was bubbling with good cheer. He had scored five new CDs and a couple of DVDs, and he was happy to talk about how good the craic had been at the pub. Ben was feeling mellow and sleepy, so he was content to mostly listen and imagine what it would have been like to dance with his mate.

 

At the old house, they let themselves in quietly and went down to their basement. Qui used the bathroom first and then Ben decided to take a quick shower in his turn, so he would have one less thing to do in the morning after his unexpectedly sweaty outing.

 

Ben was humming music from earlier when he came out of the bathroom naked. He saw Qui, still in gray boxer briefs, standing by his desk looking at his new acquisitions. Qui put the CDs on his desk, raised his head and looked at Ben with a crooked half-smile.

 

Desire flared into sudden lust in Ben's gut. He slowly licked dry lips and saw an answering fire in blue eyes. Ben moved toward his lover, but Qui's longer legs were faster and they met near the door of the bedroom for a fierce kiss. They barely remembered to shut off the lights as they rushed to their bed. Qui shoved his briefs down and tossed them aside before pouncing on Ben.

 

They rolled together, kissing, hands grabbing and holding. Belly to belly and crotch to crotch, their cocks hardened and passion flashed into roaring heat. Within scant minutes, they had crested and passed into ecstasy.

 

The last thing Ben remembered before he fell asleep was a caress to his cheek and Qui muttering, "Jaysus, need to be getting you out more often…"

 

*** *** *** ***  ***

 

**_Wednesday, 11 February // Thursday, 12 February // Friday 13 February_ **

 

Ben was happy Wednesday as he walked up the long driveway, not even bothered by the inch of snow that had fallen during his bus ride home. He still had a glow from the previous night, and his job had mostly involved working on motorcycle restorations. Ben smiled when he saw Qui's old truck peeking out from the carport.

 

The warmth of the kitchen matched his inner feelings. Qui was already setting the table, and Jane was pulling hot rolls from the oven.

 

"Good timing, Ben," said Jane. "We'll be eating in just a few minutes."

 

Ben quickly washed up and sat down as Jane was putting the finishing touches on the food. Salad, baked cod, succotash and rolls were passed around and everyone was soon eating.

 

"This is good." Ben pointed his fork at his plate. "Did you put some different spices in the succotash?"

 

"A little extra this 'n that. Wanted to give a bit more contrast to the fish."

 

"It works well." Ben glanced at the empty chair. "I guess Rafa is at the university tonight, right?"

 

"Yes. She actually left about an hour ago." Jane nodded, a small smile on her lips. "She was going to meet some other folks for dinner before she and Misha head over to those Russian movies."

 

"Nice to see her making friends at school," said Qui.

 

"Just what I was thinking the other day," replied Ben.

 

They finished dinner and Qui and Ben cleaned up before going downstairs. They took off their shoes and practiced their two person pushing hands exercises for an hour. For several minutes Ben stayed in the starting position, breathing and centering, concentrating on feeling rooted as Qui orbited around him. Then, slowly at first, Qui made Ben work on his focus, balance and control, reminding him of other principles along the way as they shifted back and forth, trading offense and defense. The last ten minutes were more relaxed, almost a free-style exchange of energies. Finally, they closed with side-by-side individual Tai Chi katas.

 

Ben fetched two bottles of water from their small refrigerator and gave one to Qui as he joined him on the couch.

 

"Thanks." Qui took a long drink. "Your solo routine is coming along nicely, and I think we're starting to see some improvement in your pushing hands. It seemed that you were holding your position without having to be thinking so hard about it this time. We definitely need to keep working on your centering and responses, though."

 

"I certainly feel better about the solo moves. We've been doing those long enough that I think I'm finally starting to get some decent muscle memory, and it's easier to shut out distractions." Ben leaned back as he nodded thoughtfully. "This pushing hands stuff… I don't know, I think I sort of get the theory but the interaction part just isn't feeling right yet."

 

"'Tis still early days for the pushing hands, and you're working against a natural instinct to meet force with force. You'll get better with practice." Qui patted Ben's thigh.

 

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Might be easier if I thought of it more as dancing instead of boxing." Ben grinned. "It was easy to pick up those dance steps last night, and that ended up being a lot of fun. I didn't know they had that kind of dancing, especially out here."

 

"Conall's does a dance set about once a month, and there's some sort of club that gets together at one of the rec centers, although I'm thinking they're into all sorts of folk or country dancing, not just Irish. Around here, line dancing or square dancing is what most people like."

 

"That's not surprising, and I liked the line dancing they did at the New Year's party. But the whole evening was fun, and I'm glad I went."

 

Qui smiled fondly. "I don't get to Connall's as much as I'd like, but I can't remember a night there I didn't enjoy. They're good people and the music is a bonus. If you like live music, I know some other places we could try out sometime."

 

"I think I'd like that." Ben grinned. "I'll bet you have friends all over the place. Seemed like everybody wanted to snag you for a hug and a few words."

 

"When you've lived in a place as long as I have, you get to be knowing people." Qui paused and tilted his head. "You looked like you were having a fine time with Gavin, and I didn't think you'd want to be tagging along behind me." There was a tentative question mark at the end of Qui's words.

 

"No, things were fine and I was having a pisser time. The beer and the band were good and I really did like the dancing. It was just like you promised, a 'lively do'."

 

"Aye, 'twas a brilliant evening out." Qui wagged an eyebrow. "Some fine women were wanting you for their partner, too. Even if that's not your choice, seems like that's a compliment, to my way of thinking."

 

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Ben looked away, not really wanting to admit to the lingering traces of jealousy he had experienced.

 

"I'm missing something again, aye?" Qui reached over and took Ben's hand in his. "'Twas just an innocent evening of fun, no matter who I was dancing with or hugging. You knew I still like women, but it was you I'd be going home with."

 

"Look, I'm the one who doesn't want to come out. So, I'm the hardheaded jerk who needs to keep his head out of his ass." Ben gave a tight smile. "Honestly, I did enjoy it, and I was happy that you were obviously having a wicked time." He pulled Qui's hand up and lightly kissed it. "I'm getting better about seeing you with others." He sighed. "It's just… it was really you I wanted to be dancing with."

 

"And I'd be proud to be dancing with you." Qui sighed in turn, his face tinged with a bit of frustration. "I'm not sure how to explain my feelings sometimes, though. Being around people, having fun or doing good for others… that's a lot of what's always made life worthwhile for me. That doesn't mean I love you any less, just that now and then I'm needing other people, too."

 

"I can understand that. I had good friends growing up, and I enjoyed doing things with them." Ben stared down at their joined hands.   "You know, it feels like I'm the main problem, not you. I went into a dark hole when I had to leave home … I've come to realize how lucky I've been with finding a new home, a new family, and especially you. But I think I still have a long way to go to be comfortable with reaching out to make new friends the way I'd like to, the way I used to. There are too many times it's just easier to stay home and shut the rest of the world out."

 

"Oh, Ben, love…" Qui gathered his mate into his arms and held him. He said softly, "Making friends is like investing in life. You have to put some work into it sometimes. Other times, though, it's just being a good person and doing the right thing like we've talked about before." He kissed Ben's forehead and pulled him closer. "We'll keep working on it together."

 

*** ***

 

Thursday felt like a long black hole of a day that wouldn't end, starting with the heavy grey overcast that loomed overhead. Work was inventory or paperwork for everyone at Midway, so most people were in a dull mood as the important but tedious slog went on. Ben already knew that Qui would be working late, so he would be on his own for the evening. The bus ride home was slow and dreary as several inches of wet, heavy snow made the roads treacherous.   By the time he had trudged up to the house, he was tired and bored.

 

It was hard to be grumpy, though, when Ben made it to the welcoming warmth of the kitchen. Even though Qui wasn't there, both Jane and Rafa had smiles for him. With a hot meal inside him and Rafa's reflected quiet happiness as she casually mentioned that she and Misha were going out Saturday with a group for Valentine's Day, Ben's mood lightened considerably.   He made quick work of shoveling the accumulated snow outside before spending a half hour chatting while they shared a pot of cocoa.

 

Ben took a mug of cocoa with him to the basement. He let himself enjoy a small glow of anticipation as he went over his preparations for Saturday night one more time. Ben put a few finishing touches on the card he had made for Qui, fingering the small envelope taped inside which contained his gift for Qui. He fought the temptation to open it yet again, and finally settled for just brushing a light kiss on the outside before putting the card and its contents aside. He was still not feeling sleepy as he wandered aimlessly around the basement, so he decided to get caught up on his journal entries.

 

Trying to look objectively at what had happened the last few days, he focused on the fact that the trip to the pub was only ever supposed to be a friendly night out. From that point of view, he decided that it had been a success. Ben remembered how happy Qui had seemed, grinning as he made a 'Q' smiley face on the page next to that observation. Meeting Gavin and his friends had been fun, too. He felt he really had been doing better about overcoming his jealousy, even though the dancing had triggered it again. He touched the pendant at his throat briefly – yeah, he had no doubts about Qui's feelings for him, and he needed to keep reminding himself that Qui had other parts of his life that he also enjoyed.

 

For several minutes Ben stared at the journal, pen in hand, before continuing.   He remembered Qui's words from the previous night, about making friends being like investing in life. He'd never thought of it that way, and he rolled that idea around in his head.

 

"Yeah," Ben said aloud. "That does make sense. Friendships, relationships… you do need to work at those. Friends are people you do things for, not just with. I can't just sit here on my ass all the time and depend on Qui or Jane or work to meet other people."

 

He shook his head. "Jesus, about the only time I've ever gone out specifically on my own since I got here was when I went to UPA looking for Qui and met Sandy. Although I guess that ended up being an example of 'investing', I suppose. When I helped out with their fundraising and stuff, yeah, that felt good and I liked being there with everyone working together. That's something I want to do more of, even if it means going without Qui sometimes."

 

Ben suddenly remembered the rest of what his mate had said, dropped the pen and sat back in his chair.

 

"Being a good person…"

 

Memories came roaring back of some of the early conversations he'd had with Quilan Finn, sitting outside his little house in the woods. Pointed words, and sometimes hard realizations about what sort of person that boy from Boston had been. Ben bit his lower lip as he tentatively reached toward the drawer that held the previous year's journal in which he had captured many of his thoughts about his meetings with Qui. He stopped and blew out a long, slow breath.

 

"Not tonight," he whispered. "I know it's been a while since we've talked about that stuff, but… no, maybe after Valentine's Day. But that's for sure part of all this."

 

Ben squared his shoulders and set pen to paper to capture his thoughts before they slipped away. He was still writing when Qui came home an hour later.

 

*** ***

 

Friday was spectacularly different from its predecessor. The sun was bright in a cloudless blue sky and people were smiling. Ben put the final polish on a newly completed renovation and was part of the celebration when Frank turned the bike over to the excited customer. There was a minor flurry of business out front as people came in to take advantage of the holiday specials. During lunch Dennis passed out boxes of chocolates to everyone, and even Margaret almost had a smile on her face instead of her usual steely expression.

 

Ben had barely stepped away from the bus after it dropped him off when the rattle of a familiar truck made him smile before he even turned his head.

 

"Hey, stranger, would you be wanting a lift?"

 

"Yes, sir, that would be pisser. Thanks." Ben climbed in the old pickup and they squeezed hands before Qui pulled out to take them home.

 

After Qui parked, he retrieved two large bags from behind the seat and carried them in. They turned out to be mostly bottles of wine, which he kept in their individual paper wrappers when he put them in the refrigerator, except for two he presented to Jane. Two last bottles he took downstairs, one to chill in their small refrigerator and the other stashed in his wardrobe. When Ben asked what the wines were, Qui just smiled and admonished him to wait.

 

After supper, Jane, Qui and Ben gathered around the table to discuss preparations for the next day.

 

"I'd like to go over the 'logistics', so to speak," said Jane. She seemed to be very much in her element and enjoying the whole process. "The menu is settled and I've got food laid in. You have all the wine you want?"

 

Qui nodded. "I've got everything I need. I hope you like those bottles I got for you. I know you're not one for drinking much, but those are good for sipping or special occasions."

 

"They are lovely and I look forward to trying them out." Jane looked at a sheet of paper in front of her. "Do you still want to start eating around six?"

 

"Yes, if that's okay with Ben. 'Tis kind of early, but I was thinking it might be nice to have plenty of time for an evening together." Qui waited until Ben nodded his agreement. "Short of a major emergency, I should be home by five tomorrow."

 

"That'll be fine, then. Rafa and her friends are going out to dinner and a movie, so I told her to go enjoy herself with them and not fret herself about helping here. However, I was talking to Liz and Linda the other day. Linda thinks the whole thing is incredibly romantic, and they've offered to help. She wants us to actually serve the different courses like in a restaurant, and I've got plenty of china so we can manage that easily. I didn't think you'd mind, so I bought extra food, and we'll be eating in the kitchen in between or afterward."

 

"I wasn't wanting to ask you to do that much work, but I appreciate it tremendously. It will make things a grand occasion."

 

"Wait a minute," said Ben. "I knew we were doing a nice dinner in the dining room, but now we're talking courses and serving. I don't have any of the sort of nice clothes you're supposed to wear for a formal dinner."

 

Qui grinned. "Well, now, boyo, if it were just up to me, I'd not be having you wearing any clothes at all." He sighed as Jane muffled a discreet little snerk. "But in deference to our fine ladies, something clean and comfortable will suffice."

 

"I can do that." Ben wanted to add a snarky comment about not needing to wear the clothes for very long, but decided that wasn't something he wanted to say in front of Jane even if Qui had started it. He contented himself with a knowing half smile.

 

"After dessert is finished, will you need anything else?" Jane ticked off a few items on her list.

 

"No, we'll be moving down to the basement for the rest of the evening. Are you sure you'll not be needing any help with cleaning up?" Qui leaned forward a little in his chair.

 

"Oh, good Lord no, don't you two even be thinking about such nonsense," said Jane firmly. "We'll be cleaning up as we go during the prep, so with three of us it won't be any big deal. And just so you know, after we get that done, Liz and Linda and I are going over to a party some of their friends are having. The house will be all yours for a while."

 

"That's very nice of everyone. And I really appreciate all the work you're doing for this, too," said Ben. "And just so I've got the timeline right – dinner is Qui's thing, so I should stay out of the dining room; we'll exchange cards after dessert; I need a few minutes to do my thing in the basement, so Qui stays up here during that; then Qui comes down, and we have a nice romantic evening. Right?"

 

"That's the general idea." Qui leaned over to take Ben's hand. "Our first Valentine's Day together, boyo. I'm wanting it to be a good one for you."

 

"I'm sure it will be."

 

_*** *** *** *** ***_

**_Saturday, 14 February_ **

 

The morning sun tickled Ben's eyes open. He stretched into the empty space next to him on the bed and felt sinfully lazy when he saw that the clock read almost eight o'clock. He luxuriated in the unaccustomed leisure for several minutes as a small glow of anticipation warmed him. The sun crept a little higher, and now a full radiance lit the room.

 

Ben stretched once more, then suddenly sat up as he realized the importance of the sunlight.

 

Two days of warm sun and no snow meant dry roads!

 

"Myrna, my girl, we're going out for a ride this afternoon!"

 

Whistling a cheerful off-key tune, Ben rose and headed for the bathroom.

 

Ben made quick work of breakfast. He wasn't allowed to peek in the refrigerator and Rafa had closed the dining room door after she went in with furniture polish and rags, so he decided to concentrate on cleaning up the basement. For the rest of the morning he swept, dusted, washed sheets, towels and all of his and Qui's laundry. He went outside and cut more firewood, making sure there was a generous pile outside and by his fireplace in addition to the stack he laid inside it. He took a quick shower before meticulously cleaning every surface in their bathroom and putting out fresh towels. He grinned as he taped a 'Do Not Enter' sign on the door.

 

Ben pulled out the box he had hidden in his closet and once more checked the contents -- three sizes of candles, holders, two new soft bathsheets, bath oil and two new boxes of Irish Spring soap.   A small space heater was waiting behind the sofa, and music was already loaded on his boombox. He carefully put everything away again, then exchanged his sneakers for boots and added a sweatshirt.

 

On the main floor Ben could already smell wonderfulness developing as he drew near the kitchen. Jane popped out to intercept him before he could go in.

 

"Thought you might want a mite to eat to tide you over until this evening." Jane handed Ben a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and a bottle of water. In return, he gave her the box of chocolates from Midway.

 

"Thanks." Ben sniffed and looked hopefully into the kitchen. "Sure smells good, ma'am."

 

"Right nice of you to say so, Ben, and thanks for the candy," replied Jane. "Let's hope everything lives up to its promises."

 

"I'm sure it will." Ben saluted with his free hand. "I'm going to take Myrna out for a little spin, but I'll be back in plenty of time."

 

"Have a good trip." Jane waved as Ben turned to go out through the utility room to the garage.

 

It took Ben only a few minutes to finish both his sandwich and checking over his motorcycle. He put on his gear, opened the garage door and wheeled Myrna out into the bright early afternoon sun. He closed the garage and settled himself into the saddle.

 

Myrna roared to life without hesitation, almost trembling in her eagerness to be going. Ben closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the moment before pushing off and moving slowly down the driveway.

 

For an hour they rode aimlessly along back roads. The growling rumble between his thighs and the wind pushing against his body made Ben's spirits soar, and he was oblivious to the cold. One highway took them back toward town, and Ben slowed their pace as they passed some stores. He recognized this part of town, since it was one of the first he had visited after he had joined Jane's household. That thought led him to remember all the work being put into their special dinner.

 

"Hell, Myrna, if this is going to be such a big deal tonight, I don't want to show up looking like a skid. Let's see if we can't do something about that."

 

Two blocks in and a block to the right was the thrift store Ben had visited before. He parked Myrna and wandered inside. After a half hour of searching the huge store and rejecting several potential choices, he found a rack along the back wall that had a mix of shirts. He decided on a blue long-sleeved dress shirt that was in almost new condition and fit him well. It was a few dollars more than he wanted to spend, but it was almost the color of Qui's eyes, so he bought it before he could change his mind. He treated himself to another hour of riding before heading home.

 

Liz's Jeep was parked near the front door when Ben got home just before four. He put Myrna away in the garage and carefully stashed his gear. Jane's Rottweilers were in the utility room, sleeping in their baskets, when Ben went through with his new acquisition.

 

"Hey, Sugar! Long time, no see." Linda was waiting in the hallway and engulfed Ben in a big hug.

 

"Great to see you, too."

 

Liz appeared in the kitchen doorway, further blocking the way. "Ben, it is nice to see you again. Happy Valentine's Day to you."

 

"Yes, ma'am, likewise. While you're both here, I wanted to thank you for helping out tonight. Are you sure you don't mind, though?"

 

"Oh, honey, it'll be fun. I used to waitress and fill in the catering crew at the big house fancy dinners when I was in school, and you wouldn't believe the gossip and goings-on in the back rooms."

 

"If you were involved, I would believe it," said Liz dryly. "Besides, who would pass up a chance to have one of Jane's special meals?" She glanced over her shoulder before continuing quietly, "She really enjoys cooking and I think she has outdone herself tonight, so you and Qui will be in for quite a treat."

 

"I'm looking forward to it and I'm sure Qui is, too." Ben shook his head. "I just can't get over how much people are doing for us. It's fricking fantastic."

 

"That's what friends are for, so don't you worry about it." Linda patted Ben on the shoulder. "And now I got some stirring and sorting to do, so best be getting on with it."

 

"Sounds good. Thanks again." Ben knew a dismissal when he heard one, so he smiled at both women and turned to leave.

 

There was very little left in the basement for Ben to do, so he hung his new shirt in his closet and then decided to check his email. Somebody was using the phone, so he went ahead and made the bed with clean sheets while he waited. Once connected, he found a couple of messages from his sister Maureen. Things were going well at Georgetown in her second semester, and she wished him a happy holiday with Qui. Ben smiled at the funny pictures she had attached, sent her a reply and deleted the odds and ends of junk mail.

 

Ben was starting to feel a little fluttery as the clock ticked away and was having trouble concentrating. He got up and wandered around the basement, took another look inside the bathroom, and wandered around some more. It was still early, but he decided to get dressed anyway. Black jeans, belt, his good boots, and he opted for a v-neck t-shirt under his new dress shirt. He left the top two buttons undone so the Claddagh pendant was clearly visible as he checked his look in the full-length mirror they had put on the outside of the bedroom door.

 

"'Tis fine enough to eat you're looking, boyo!"

 

Ben started – he had been so focused on his appearance he hadn't noticed the door opening.

 

Qui tossed his jacket on the table and came over to Ben. "Let's get a good look at you now." He twirled a finger and Ben obligingly turned around in a slow circle. "Jaysus, did our penny-pincher boy actually spring for a real shirt?"

 

"Hey! C'mon, I'm not that bad." Ben made an aborted sigh as Qui lifted one eyebrow. "Well, okay, I was out riding Myrna this afternoon and decided I wanted something nicer than a work polo for dinner, so we stopped at the thrift store and I got this."

 

"It looks very good on you, boyo." Qui stepped forward and brushed Ben's lips with his, but then shifted back with a smile when Ben tried to deepen the kiss. "Anticipation will make it all the sweeter later." He let one finger lightly caress Ben's cheek. "And I'm glad you got a chance to be showing Myrna some love, too."

 

Feeling frustrated but knowing that Qui was probably right, Ben just shrugged. "It was a beautiful day and the roads were clear. I think Myrna appreciated getting out. I know I sure did."

 

"That's good, for both of you. Now, tell you what. I'm going to change, then go up and see how things are coming along. You can stay down here, and I'll pick you up just before six."

 

"Pick me up? Are we on some kind of frigging date or something?" Ben gave a half-snort.

 

"It's Valentine's Day, boyo. Humor me."

 

"Fine. I shall be down here pining away for my studly ranger while you get to have your way with the women upstairs."

 

"Rafa's already gone, but hopefully I can survive dealing with the other three formidable ladies." Qui put his hand over his heart with his eyes directed upward to heaven.

 

"Yeah, right. Just get your ass down here on time. I'm hungry."

 

"Aye, sir." Qui grinned and gave a mock salute.

 

Ben retreated to the bedroom for a while and tried playing solitaire on his computer, but that did not hold his attention for very long. He wandered about, moved all of his supplies to the bathroom since it was now unlikely Qui would be going in there and walked around some more. He pulled the covers down on the bed and put a stack of hand towels on the night stand. The anticipation made the fluttering in his stomach seem like a flock of birds had taken flight inside him. Ben was beginning to wonder if perhaps it might not have been better just to do something simple and spend the rest of the night making love.

 

Knock, knock, knock.

 

Ben retrieved his card and hurried over to open the basement door. Qui was standing on the other side in jeans, his uniform cowboy boots, black leather belt and light green dress shirt with the top three buttons open.

 

"May I have the honor of your company at dinner, Mr. Kennan?" Qui gave a little bow.

 

Ben grinned as he bowed in turn. "It would be my pleasure, sir."

 

They walked sedately up the stairs. At the top Qui took Ben's arm and tucked it into his; there was just enough room for them to walk closely side by side down the halls.

 

A faint ring of laughter drifted through the air, but as the men came to the dining room they were met by a trio of women, the solemnity of their expressions contradicted by the sparkle in their eyes and the upward twitching of Linda's lips. Jane was in front, backed by Liz and Linda. Jane and Linda wore black dresses with white bib aprons while Liz was in navy slacks and long-sleeved top with a white vest.

 

"Good evening, gentlemen. Welcome to Chez Brandon for this special occasion." Jane bowed. "We hope the meal is to your liking. If there is anything you need, please let us know and we will be happy to provide it."

 

"Thank you." Qui bowed back.

 

Jane opened the door and waited for Qui and Ben to enter.

 

Ben was feeling a little overwhelmed already, but almost stopped in his tracks inside the dining room. Some of the table leaves had been removed to make the table smaller, and the room was more intimate with tapestries on the wall, wide red and white ribbons draped from the ceiling and flickering candles. The yellow light glinted off the formal table settings of china, silver and crystal, the mahogany gleamed under its white lace tablecloth as did the sideboard. Red linen napkins were at each place setting. Ben was suddenly very glad he had opted to get a nice shirt, although he was feeling more like he wished he'd had a suit to wear. From one corner, a soft murmur of classical instrumental music was playing.

 

After they settled into their chairs across from each other, Ben looked at Qui and mouthed 'WOW' – Qui grinned back at him.

 

The meal that unfolded was a masterpiece. Jane or Linda served the food unobtrusively for each course, and Liz proved to be a master of handling the wine that accompanied each new offering. The pace was relaxed and allowed Ben and Qui to chat and enjoy the food.

 

And what food it was! Ben could only marvel at each new presentation.

 

First up was grilled shrimp cocktail with riesling wine, succulent with a mild sauce.

 

Then, lobster bisque, creamy and smooth, with crisp croutons mildly flavored with a hint of basil, and the wine was a dry rosé.

 

Mixed greens with tomatoes and cucumbers had individual cruets of lemon vinaigrette complemented by a pleasant pinot grigio.

 

Crystal cups held servings of champagne grapefruit sorbet as a welcome interlude.

 

Ben felt like clapping when all three women came in with the main course on a cart. He was suddenly hungry again as the smell of prime rib filled the air. Jane offered the heavy carving knife to Qui with a flourish; he stood to do the honors, cutting out big slices from the heart of the slab of meat. Linda carried the plates to each man – the sides included cloud-light puffs of onion and mushroom Yorkshire pudding in ramekins as well as green beans in garlic butter. A dish of steaming Parker House rolls, butter, a tureen of drippings gravy and a dish of sour cream horseradish sauce were placed on the table. Liz finished by deftly serving an exquisite Bordeaux wine, gleaming in the candlelight.

 

Ben took one small bite of his prime rib, closed his eyes and let out a groan of happiness. "Oh, my, God." He opened his eyes. "I think I have died and gone to food heaven."

 

Qui was smiling, obviously pleased. He raised his glass in salute before taking a sip.

 

The conversation slowed to a few occasional words as both men took their time eating, determined to get the maximum enjoyment from the wonderful fare. Reluctant sighs accompanied their last bites.

 

The dessert course proved to be another hit. Vanilla bean crème brulee drizzled with chocolate in heart shapes with tongue-tingling Moscato d'Asti was perfect to top off what little space was left in their stomachs.

 

When Jane and her crew came in to clear away and bring coffee and tea, both Ben and Qui rose to their feet and applauded. Then they hugged each of the women.

 

"Thank you so much. This has been the most wicked fantastic meal I've ever had," gushed Ben.

 

"Absolutely," added Qui. "Magic, pure magic."

 

Jane's blush was clear even in the low light. "It was a challenge and I enjoyed the heck out of it, especially for my special boys. I'm just glad it came out so well."

 

"It was magnificent," said Qui. "All of you were magnificent."

 

After another round of effusive appreciation, the women left with big smiles. Qui made a cup of tea and Ben fixed himself some coffee.

 

"So, time to exchange cards, right?" Ben tapped on the envelope holding his offering. He was feeling remarkably mellow from the food and wine.

 

"Aye. Would you like to be going first?"

 

"Sure." Ben slid the large envelope across the table.

 

Qui carefully slit the upper edge and pulled out the folded card. He unfolded it and began reading the hand-lettered words. As he read, his eyes widened and his breath came out through parted lips. He finished and looked up.

 

"Jaysus, boyo… that is hot. And romantic. I didn't think you could be making a blow job into both things at once." Qui sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

 

"I found the poem online and sort of, uh, elaborated. I'd like it to be like that for you all the time."

 

"And I'm wanting it to be that good for you, too." Qui pulled off the small white envelope that was taped to the card. "What's this, now?" He opened it and the object spilled out, a silver chain with a silver chrome skeleton key with a small heart scored into it. He held it up so the key dangled. "'Tis lovely."

 

"I made it from an old piece of chrome in the shop, mostly a lot of sanding and polishing once I got the shape right." Ben looked down and shrugged one shoulder. "I don't have any sort of family heirlooms or whatever like you gave me, but it's meant to be the key to my heart." He looked up at Qui. "And I'd like you to have it since you already have my heart."

 

"It's beautiful." Qui stood up and walked slowly around, knelt in front of Ben's chair. "Would you be doing the honors, love?"

 

Ben moved his chair around to face Qui and took the chain from his hand. He swallowed hard and had to blink back moisture as he stared down into the blue eyes and drew the chain over Qui's head. He positioned the key just below the base of Qui's throat before slipping down to his knees for a tight hug.

 

"Love you," they each murmured as the hug went on.

 

Finally, they broke apart and sat back.

 

"Twas the best thing you could give me, love." Qui looked a little sheepish. "But it surely makes my gift anti-climactic."

 

"Well, we won't know that until I see it, now, will we?" Ben leered, trying to lighten the mood a little. "And besides, we've still got things to do this evening, if you know what I mean."

 

"Aye, I get your drift, boyo." Qui waggled an eyebrow as he stood up and went back to his chair. He rested his fingers atop a thick envelope. "Um… this is kind of self-serving, really."

 

"What, did you get me a rhinestone jock strap or something?"

 

"No, 'tis something to wear, though."   Qui cleared his throat. "And I'll be needing you to wear those black leather chaps you use when you're riding Myrna."

 

"Okay, hand it over, this I have to see." Ben gestured impatiently.

 

Qui slid the envelope across the table.

 

Ben tore the outer wrapper open – inside was a card and another envelope. He read the card first and chuckled. "I see I'm not the only one with lewd intentions tonight." He glanced up to see Qui's deprecating shrug before ripping open the smaller package.

 

A pair of brilliant red silk shorts spilled out onto the table.

 

Ben stared for a moment until his brain made the connection between the shorts and the chaps. He sucked in a breath and let it out with a long "Ohhhhhhh." He licked his lips slowly as he nodded. "Interesting…. Tell you what, I'll do these if you wear your black shorts."

 

"Deal," said Qui immediately.

 

Ben laughed. "I think it's time to get down to business." He waved the red shorts. "Give me ten minutes, and then meet me downstairs."

 

"Looking forward to it, boyo."

 

*** ***

 

Ben hurried to the garage, grabbed his chaps, then almost trotted down to the basement. He tossed the shorts and chaps on the bed before heading to the bathroom. He started the hot water running in the tub very slowly before placing all the holders and candles around. The fresh bars of soap went by the tub, the small space heater was set to low, bathsheets put atop the toilet tank. The boombox was plugged into the other outlet and soft, sensuous jazz music turned on.

 

Ben checked his watch. Still three minutes to go. The tub was filling and steam was starting to rise. He decided to take his engineer boots and socks off to avoid the bother later.

 

One minute left. The tub was half full and Ben lit all the candles. He replaced one of the lightbulbs with a dim red one and loosened the others until they went off. He stood in the doorway and surveyed his handiwork – the big bathroom had turned into a steamy bordello scene. He poured a generous amount of bath oil into the hot water, letting its subtle aroma begin to rise.

 

Almost time. Ben was counting on Qui's punctuality to ensure the tub didn't run over before he could make his presentation. He glanced at his watch again and turned the water flow down to a tiny babbling splash.

 

A deep breath outside the closed door. One breath, two, three, four… a loud knock on the door to the stairs.

 

"Great timing, Mr. Finn." Ben grinned as he led his lover to the bathroom. "If you would take your boots and socks off, please."

 

"Alright." Qui removed his cowboy boots and socks, then put them by the sofa. "And now?"

 

"Right here." Ben positioned Qui in front of the bathroom door. "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you."

 

Qui obliged and followed Ben's careful lead as they went inside. Ben closed the door.

 

"Ta da! You can open them now!"

 

Qui let out a low whistle. "Jaysus, boyo. I feel like I'm in one of those fancy French indie erotic movies."

 

"I thought it might be nice to clean up a little after that amazing dinner." Ben moved in front of Qui and began unbuttoning his shirt. "It will be a lot more fun without all those clothes."

 

"Aye, a good point." Qui went to work on Ben's shirt.

 

Despite the temptation to nuzzle skin as it was unveiled, it took only moments to reach the desired state of undress.

 

"After you, sir." With a flourish, Ben invited Qui to step into the tub.

 

Qui gingerly dipped a toe into the water to test the temperature, then slowly stepped in. With a long sigh of satisfaction, he slid down to a sitting position at the end of the tub.

 

"Mmmmmm, that's good." Qui crooked a finger at Ben. "Just needs one more thing to make it perfect."

 

Ben checked the height of the water and decided he could leave the trickle of hot water going a little bit longer. He climbed into the tub and went to his knees between Qui's legs and facing him. He picked up the bars of soap and two washcloths, handing one of each to Qui with a grin.

 

Qui sniffed the soap. "Irish Spring!" He shook his head and gave a small laugh.

 

Ben smiled and lathered his cloth. The huge tub was large enough for both of them to leisurely wash each other. They reveled in the sensuous experience… warm air, soft music, flickering yellow lights among red dimness, slippery slide of skin through water and skin against skin.

 

They ended up with Ben in front, leaning back against Qui. It was a blissful feeling, Qui's arms around him and Qui's lips nuzzling his neck and ears. Ben caressed the tops of his mate's thighs and let his head rest against Qui's chest, his eyes half-closed. He felt like he could live in this moment forever.

 

"Ben."

 

"Hmmmm?"

 

"This is very nice."

 

"Um hmmm."

 

"Much as I appreciate it, the water is starting to get cold."

 

"Oh."

 

Qui kissed the top of Ben's head. "We still have other things on the agenda, love. And my butt is falling asleep."

 

"I suppose we should get out."

 

"That would be good."

 

Ben stirred, took one of Qui's hands and kissed it. He waited almost another minute before twisting around so he could get to his knees, rise and climb out. He waited until Qui was out before handing him a bathsheet, and they dried each other off.

 

Qui reached up to screw the loose lightbulbs back in as Ben snuffed the candles and pulled the plug so the tub could drain.

 

"My black shorts are in my wardrobe," said Qui. "I'll get them on and start a fire."

 

"And my stuff is in the bedroom. Meet you by the couch in a few."

 

*** ***

 

The languorous feelings from the hot bath began to dissipate as Ben drew the red shorts on, the silky material slithering along his softened skin. When he tightened the straps on the black chaps, the leather seemed like a second skin, and his cock was already taking an interest in its fascinating new confinement. The leather was snug at the top of his thighs and around his waist, but there was still plenty of room in front for his package to slide about enticingly. As he walked out the door, he could feel the silk front and back as he moved.

 

The sight that greeted Ben was also enticing. The lights were dim, but he could still clearly see Qui bent over in front of the fireplace as the flames caught and leaped. Black silk over that taut ass… oh, yeah, that had definitely been a worthwhile investment.

 

Ben moved forward as Qui stood and turned around. He put a little extra swing in his hips and was rewarded by Qui's flared nostrils as he sucked in a breath.

 

"By all the holy saints," Qui rasped, his voice already deepening.   His eyes were fixed on Ben's crotch as his lover ever so slowly sashayed toward him.

 

"Like what you see?" purred Ben. A few feet from Qui, he stopped, did some gentle pelvic thrusts, then turned and walked away. He looked back over his shoulder to see Qui's face.

 

Qui was running his tongue around his lips and breathing out of his mouth. He swallowed and closed his mouth. "Jaysus, you be walking along like that in heaven and you'll have those damned saints lining up to bugger you, boyo."

 

Ben laughed and started to turn back, but he stopped when he saw a bottle and two glasses on their table.

 

"More wine? What did you come up with this time?"

 

"Ah, that." Qui came over to join Ben. "I was thinking we might want a wee dram to top off the night."

 

Qui picked up the tall bottle and carefully poured amber liquid into two snifters. He carried them to the sofa and sat down, offering one glass to Ben.

 

Ben sat next to Qui before taking the glass. He sniffed and raised one eyebrow. "Brandy… but is that apple I smell?"

 

"Aye. 'Tis Calvados, a French brandy distilled from apples." Qui took a small sip.

 

Ben followed suit, closing his eyes as he let the liquid drift across his tongue. "Mmmmm… apple, a bit of pear… lovely oak… and that touch of caramel. This is very nice." He let his eyes slip half open as he snuggled close into Qui's side. "Definitely been a wicked pisser night."

 

Qui wrapped an arm around Ben. "Glad you're enjoying it. Makes me happy when I can make you happy."

 

They cuddled and sipped brandy, watching the fire with an occasional murmur of conversation. If there was a next level of mellow squared, Ben was rapidly approaching it.

 

Qui set his nearly empty glass aside. "Ben, love," he whispered. "Could you be doing something for me?"

 

"Yah huh, whatever you want."

 

"If you could do some of the Yang 24, that would be fair wonderful."

 

"You just wanna look at my ass, don't you?"

 

"Well, aye, that and other things."

 

Ben laughed. "Your wish is my command, oh studly one."

 

Applying maximum swish, Ben slowly moved to the center of the cleared area and stopped. He took his time getting into the starting position, adjusting his chaps, adjusting himself, watching his lover. Finally, he deemed the teasing to be sufficient and took a slow breath.

 

"For you, love."

 

Sweeping into the first move, Ben simply relaxed into his center and let muscle memory take over. He flowed from position to position, arms and legs turning and twisting under easy control as the fire popped and danced behind him. As he continued, he stole glances at Qui, encouraged by his rapt expression and heavy breathing. He also couldn't help becoming more aware of what the silky friction was doing to his cock.

 

Ben was breathing roughly himself by the time he shifted into the close. He was half hard and closed his eyes to take a few deep breaths. He opened them again when he heard music playing.

 

"Mr. Kennan, may I have this dance?"

 

In a dreamy haze, Ben looked at the hand extended to him.

 

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Finn."

 

They came together as the song moved to its first verse. Ben realized that his mate was also well on his way to an erection as they fitted their bodies each to the other.

 

The Pointer Sisters crooned as Ben and Qui moved around the floor.

 

_I want a lover with a slow hand_

_I want a lover with an easy touch…_

_I want it all night please say it's alright_

_It's not a fast move but a slow groove_

_On my mind._

Arms around each other, Ben tucked his head under Qui's chin, dancing with the mood.

 

_I found a lover with a slow hand_

_A lover with a slow hand_

_And I get all excited with his easy touch…_

As the last verse faded out, they kissed until a piano began picking out an even slower tune. They started moving again as Joe Cocker's gruff voice spun its magic.

 

_You are so beautiful_

_To me…_

Almost shuffling, they revolved in a small circle through the repeated verses. Their hands roamed on bare backs and silk-covered asses as evidence of their passion grew.

 

_You are so beautiful_

_To me_

_Can't you see_

_You're everything I hoped for_

_You're everything I need_

_You are so beautiful_

_To me_

The last quavering words faded out.

 

"You are so very fine to me, Ben Kennan." Qui hugged Ben tight.

 

"God, I love you so much."

 

They pulled back, seemingly reading each other's minds, and touched a finger to the pendant the other wore.

 

No words needed… they just smiled at one another.

 

Ben could feel the hard erection pressing against his through the thin double layers of silk separating them.

 

"How about we adjourn to somewhere more comfortable?"

 

"Aye, just what I was thinking."

 

Fortunately it was a short walk to the bedroom. Together they fumbled their way through the black leather straps to get Ben's chaps off, tossing them onto the desk before falling into bed.

 

Long, brandy-flavored kisses as tongues delved and dueled. Hands continued their slow journeys of exploration. Black and red silk grew wet with leaking fluids.

 

Surfacing from a seemingly endless kiss, Ben shifted onto his back, gasping for breath. His cock was hard and demanding relief, red silk straining.

 

Soft fingers caressed his face before moving down his side. "Let's see what's hiding under there." Qui's voice was husky as he carefully peeled off Ben's shorts. "Ah, 'tis fecking beautiful."

 

Ben lifted his head as Qui partially sat up to take his own shorts off. While Qui was shifting onto his side, Ben pounced for another kiss, tongue pushing hard inside before pulling back.

 

"Want to eat that hot cock," growled Qui.

 

"Oh, yeah, let's fucking do it!'"

 

Ben kissed his way down Qui's chest, nibbling both nubs until they were hard and red. He put passion marks on Qui's belly until his nose twitched in the rough pubic hair and then kissed the tip of Qui's erection.

 

"Move your bloody arse up here!"

 

They rolled and shifted a few times, sweat-slicked skin sliding as they grunted.

 

Groans filled the room as both men captured their prizes.

 

Ben settled in to make love to Qui's cock while Qui returned the favor. His tongue swirled around the dripping head, savoring the sharp flavor. He held Qui's hip with one hand as he licked the full length of the formidable erection, root to tip and back again, over and over. Ben's other hand stroked, fondled and occasionally slipped further down to squeeze his mate's balls.

 

Competition from the sensations of his own cock being licked and sucked drove Ben to pick up the pace. He took the end of Qui's cock into his mouth, sucked, pulled back, stroked the bottom half with his hand and sucked some more.

 

Heat pulled sweat from his already-streaming skin, and Ben had to close his eyes to keep the salt sting out. He breathed in Qui's musky odor as his head bobbed and hands worked. His hips surged as Qui worked his cock, and they both bucked. Blood pounded and he could barely hear his own and Qui's groans over the thunder in his ears.

 

Faster and faster. Cries of lust, moans of need filled the air as they slurped and sucked. Ben felt his balls tightening, and he sucked hard as lightning flamed along his nerves. A sudden finger into his ass sent him over the edge, and white light flashed across the inside of his eyelids. Almost simultaneously the cock in his mouth erupted, and he held on to capture the hot fluid before he slid into oblivion.

 

The room was dim when Ben opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, realized where he was and dragged himself around to flop down next to Qui before surrendering himself to the warm glow that wanted to pull him into sleep.

 

"Best Valentine's Day ever." Qui was slowly sweeping a towel down Ben's body.

 

"Ummm… yeah. Second dessert was wicked pisser." Ben snuggled closer, put one hand where he could touch the key pendant hanging from Qui's neck. "Love you."

 

"Aye, I love you, too." Qui pulled up the covers, put a hand over Ben's and smiled as they both drifted into slumber.

 

_Finis_

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been a while since I’ve posted, so here’s a reminder of some of the key characters. Quilan Finn – law enforcement ranger at Keogami National Forest, Ben Kennan – motorcycle mechanic, Jane Brandon – Ben & Qui’s landlady, Rafaela Romero, another boarder at Jane’s house, Celesta (Cel) – Rafa’s horse, Liz and Linda – lesbian friends of Jane, Reverend Charles Jenkins – gay pastor at Jane & Rafa’s church, Frank Mendoza – Ben’s boss at Midway Motorcycles, Maureen Kennan – Ben’s sister, Mattie – university student intern filling in between semesters, UPA - United Public Access program at the university, Sandy Miller – UPA audio programs director, Dennis & Margaret Jones - primary owners of Midway Motorcycle, WCC – Wildlife Conservation Center, Mikhail Petrovich Kuznetsov (Misha) – student at university


End file.
